Extrusion apparatus

ABSTRACT

A frame is pivotably mounted about a horizontal axis for movement from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position. A container is supported by the frame and mounted for pivotable movement about said axis independently of the frame to facilitate loading material into the container.

United States Patent Kahlefeld [54] EXTRUSION APPARATUS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 72/263 425/376 6/1921 Switzerland......................... 425/376 1,491,886 7/1967 464,176 8/1928 Germany 88,177

[22] Filed: 1974 Primary Examiner-R. Spencer Annear [211 App]. No.: 440,211

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Seidel, Gonda & Goldhammer ABSTRACT A frame is pivotably mounted about a horizontal axis [58] Field of Search........... 425/190, 376, DIG. 128;

72/263 for movement from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position. A container is supported [56] References Cited by the frame and mounted for pivotable movement UNITED STATES PATENTS about said axis independently of the frame to facilitate loading material into the container.

63,784 4/1867 Collier 819,261 5/1906 Wood 3,638,469 2/l972 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures n e H A 0 5 6 a 3 w a 2 8 3 w H U/ 0 1 2 mnh 0 6 (m a I M 7. n I A! 11m.

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Tutti PATENTEB Auci 2197s SHEET EXTRUSION APPARATUS This invention relates to extrusion apparatus, and more particularly, extrusion apparatus wherein the press frame and the container are pivotably mounted for selective disposition in a generally vertical or generally horizontal direction. Apparatus of this general nature is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,702,409. In that patent, the container is moved in a vertical direction by means of an overhead crane or the like to facilitate loading the container with a billet. The means for facilitating loading of the billet as disclosed in said patent is cumbersome and time consuming.

The extrusion apparatus of the present invention has the advantages of the apparatus disclosed in said patent while overcoming the disadvantages therein. In the apparatus of the present invention, a faster and more convenient means is provided to facilitate loading the container whereby the down time associated with loading and unloading the container is accomplished in a manner which is easier and faster.

In the apparatus of the present invention, a press frame is pivotably supported by a stationary base for movement from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position. In this manner, the user may extrude horizontally or vertically, or in any intermediate angle as desired. The container is supported by the frame for pivotable movement with the frame. The container is also supported by the frame for movement independently of the frame whereby it may pivot from an extruding position to a loading position about the same axis that the frame pivots. In this manner, the minimal number of bearings, journals, supports, and actuators are utilized in the most efficient manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel extrusion apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide extrusion apparatus permitting horizontal or vertical extrusion while at the same time facilitating the ease and rapidity of loading the container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide extrusion apparatus capable of extruding in a horizontal, vertical or angular direction while utilizing a minimum number of components and being easy to load material to be extruded through a die.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1 but on a larger scale.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a part of the apparatus with portions broken away for purposes of illustration.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the end of the tail rod.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 an extrusion apparatus in accordance with the present invention designated generally as 10. The apparatus includes a stationary base 12 which supports a press frame 14 mounted for pivotable movement from a horizontal position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 to the vertical phantom position shown in FIG. 1 whereby the apparatus 10 is adapted for extrusion in a horizontal or vertical direction as desired.

The press frame 14 includes parallel side frame members l6 and 18 connected together at their right hand ends in the drawing by a first platen 20. The ends of the side frame members 16 and 18 remote from the platen 20 are supported for rotation by and relative to aligned coaxial stub shafts 22 and 24.

An end cap 26 is provided on the stub shaft 22. An end cap 28 is provided on a stub shaft 24. The stub shafts 22 and 24 are suitably supported for rotation about their axes by brace members 30 and 32, respectively, which extend forwardly and upwardly from the base 12.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a header 34 is bolted or otherwise secured to the platen 20 and constitutes one end of a cylinder 38. A header 36 is provided for the other end of the cylinder 38. A ram 40 is reciprocably supported by the cylinder 38 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Conduits 42 and 44 are associated with the headers 34 and 36, respectively, to permit the introduction of motive fluid to effect actuation of the ram 40. The header 36 is supported by a brace 46 on the base 12 when the press frame 14 is in the solid line position shown in FIG. 1.

The ram 40 is provided with a tail rod 48 which extends through the header 36. The tail rod 48 includes a roller 54 adapted to ride on the track 52. Track 52 is supported by bracket 50 and constitutes a part of the press frame 14. The details of the structural interrelationship between the tail rod 48 and the roller 54 are shown in FIG. 4.

The roller 54 is rotatably supported by a clevice 56 connected to the lower end of a vertically disposed pin 58. Pin 58 is reciprocably supported by a tail block 60 and spring biased downwardly by the surrounding coil spring 62. Spring 62 extends between the tail block 60 and the clevice 56. Tail block 60 is bolted to the tail rod 48 with a cam 64 therebetween. Cam 64 may be circular in plan view and is adapted to trip switches along the length of track 52 to effect operation of the extrusion apparatus 10 in a conventional manner.

Referring to FIG. 2, a second platen 66 is disposed between the free ends of the side frame members 16 and 18. End faces of the platen 66 are recessed to receive the free ends of the stub shafts 22 and 24 in a fixed manner whereby the platen 66 rotates with the stub shafts 22 and 24. The platen 66 is provided with a bore 68 along the axis of the press frame 14. A die 71 and its mount 70 are supported by the platen 66 in a conventional manner which facilitates removal of the die 71 and its mount 70 are removable from the platen 66 form no part of the present invention and therefore the details of the support to facilitate removal are not shown. The axis of die 71 is intersected by the axes of shafts 22 and 24.

A hollow container 72 which is open at both ends is provided. One end of the container 72 is removably secured to the platen 66 by a clamping ring 74. See FIG. 2. The container 72 is preferably cylindrical in crosssection and coaxial with bore 68. When the press frame 14 is horizontally disposed as shown in FIG. 1, the container 72 rests on and is supported by one or more cross bars 76 which extend between the side frame members 16 and 18. See FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 2, a piston plug 78 is removably secured to the end face of ram 40. A nose member 80 is removably secured to the plug 78. One or more packing rings are provided on the outer periphery of the nose member 80 for sealing contact with the ID of the container 72. The platen has a bore 82 through which the ram 40 extends.

A cup assembly 84 surrounds the ram 40 between the right hand end of the container 72 and the adjacent side face of the header 20. See FIG. 2. The assembly 84 is cup-shaped with the bottom wall being designated 86 and the axially directed wall designated 85. Wall 85 is coaxial with the container 72 and has a sealing ring on its end face for sealing contact with an end face of the container 72 during extrusion. A sealing ring is provided on the ID of the wall 86 for frictional contact with the OD of the ram 40. The assembly 84 is reciprocated for alternate contact with the container 72 and header 20 by frictional contact with the OD of ram 40. The components assume the position shown in FIG. 2 during a press stroke of the ram 40 and the position shown in FIG. 3 during a return stroke of the ram 40. The gap between the container 72 and assembly 84 as shown in FIG. 3 is sufficient to permit the container 72 to be pivoted to the loading position shown in phantom and designated 72'.

A means is provided to selectively pivot the container 72 from the solid line position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to the phantom position shown in FIGS. 1 and designated 72'. Such means comprises a pair of cylinders each connected to one of the side frame members 16 and 18 at one end and extending to the stub shaft 22 and 24 respectively. The means associated with side frame members 16 and stub shaft 22 will be described in detail. The other such means is identical therewith.

A bracket 88 is removably secured to a side face of the side frame member 16. See FIG. 3. A cylinder 90 has one end pivotably connected to the bracket 88. A piston rod 92 extends from the other end of cylinder 90 and terminates in an end connected to a clevice 94. Clevice 94 is pivotably connected to an arm 96 at one end thereof. The other end of arm 96 is fixedly connected to the stub shaft 22 to effect rotation of the same. The connection between arm 96 and stub shaft 92 may be accomplished in a wide variety of manners. Preferably, the ID of the hole on arm 96 is provided with a flat engaging a mating flat on the OD of the stub shaft 22. I

In view of the structure described above, rotation of arm 96 will effect rotation of stub shaft 22. The length of the stroke for piston rod 92 is preferably chosen so as to effect selective pivotable movement of container 72 relative to the press frame 14 through an angle of about 90 whereby the open end of the container 72 is at a position which more easily permits loading of the container 72. It is to be noted that the container 72 and platen 66 pivot about the longitudinal axes of stub shafts 22 and 24 relative to the press frame 14 and that the press frame 14 is adapted to be selectively pivoted about the longitudinal axes of stub shafts 22 and 24 without rotating said shafts.

The means for selectively pivoting press frame 14 together with the container 72 and ram 40 about the longitudinal axis of stub shafts 22 and 24 includes a cylinder 100. See FIG. 3. The cylinder 100 includes a piston rod 102 connected to a clevice 104. Clevice 104 is pivotably connected to a mounting bracket 98 secured to the platen 20 on the press frame 14. It will be noted that the cylinder 100 is horizontally disposed below container 72 and parallel to the ram 40 when the press frame 14 is horizontally disposed. Likewise, the cylinder 100 is vertically disposed when the press frame 14 is vertically disposed as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the left hand end of cylinder 100 is pivotably connected to a bracket 106 by pin 108. The bracket 106 is removably secured to an angularly disposed plate 110. The ends of plate 110 are supported by the brace members 30 and 32. Conduits not shown are provided for introducing a motive fluid into opposing ends of the cylinder 100.

In order to load the container 72, motive fluid is introduced into the left hand end of cylinder 90 in FIG. 3 to cause the stub shafts 22 and 24, platen 66, and container 72 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3 whereby the open end of the container 72 is readily accessible for loading the container. The material loaded in container 72 may be a preheated metallic billet, nonmetallic material such as ceramic or plastic materials in paste or granular form, etc. After the container 72 has been loaded, cylinder 90 is actuated to rotate the container 72 to the position shown in FIG. 1. Thereafter, the ram 40 is actuated so that nose member enters the open end of the container 72. As the ram 40 moves forwardly, the assembly 84 reciprocated until the seal on the end face of wall engages the end face at the open end of the container 72. As the ram 40 moves forwardly toward the die, the material in the container 72 is extruded through the die and check valve 87 on assembly 84 opens to vent the space behind plug 78.

The assembly 84 acts as a guard for the ram 40. After the extrusion stroke, the ram 40 is retracted to the right in FIG. 2. Assembly 84 is driven to the right in FIG. 2 by contact between plug 78 and wall 86 until it approaches or contacts the side face of platen 20. The ram 40 is stopped with the plug 78 and nose member 80 disposed within the assembly 84.

If it is desired to extrude in a vertical direction, motive fluid is introduced into the left hand end of the cylinder in FIG. 3 to pivot the entire press frame 14 to the phantom position shown in FIG. 1 or to intermediate angled positions. As press frame 14 pivots upwardly, bars 76 cause container 72, platen 66 and shafts 22, 24 to also pivot. Thereafter, the sequence of loading is the same as that described above. It will be noted that when the components are arranged for extrusion in a vertical direction and the container 72 is pivoted to its loading position, it extends forwardly and upwardly as shown in phantom at the left hand end of FIG. 1. Notwithstanding the simplicity of the extrusion apparatus 10, it may be of rugged construction whereby it can have a rating up to 250 tons.

The base 12 is preferably encased in a housing of sheet material thereby concealing pipes, valves, switches, and the like. If desired, valve means may be provided on container 72 for connection to a vacuum pump to de-air the material to be extended. No clamps or bolts are needed to retain press frame 14 in a horizontal position although the same may be provided for safety reasons.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention. a

I claim: 1. Extrusion apparatus comprising a base, a frame pivotably mounted on said base for movement about a transverse horizontal axis from a generally horizontal said frame and container as a unit about said axis for selective extrusion in a horizontal or vertical direction, and second motor means connected to said container for selectively and independently pivoting said container about said axis relative to said frame to facilitate loading of material into said container.

2. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second motor means is a power cylinder having one end coupled to said container and its other end pivotably connected to said frame.

3. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second motor means includes an arm having one end rotatable about said axis and another end pivotably connected to a piston rod associated with said one end of said cylinder.

4. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said die support means is connected to one end of said container adjacent said axis for pivotable movement therewith about said axis, the other end of said container being open, a reciprocable ram on said frame, said ram having a position wherein it enters said open end of said container for forcing material through the die and another position wherein said ram is spaced from said open end of said container by a distance sufficient to permit said independent pivoting of the container about said axis.

5. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first motor means includes a generally horizontally disposed power cylinder having one end pivotably connected to said base below the elevation of said axis and another end pivotably connected to said frame at a location spaced from said axis.

6. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said axis is defined by aligned shafts rotatably supported by said base, said container having one end coupled to said shafts for rotation therewith.

7. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said die and container are removably connected together for pivotable movement as a unit about said axis.

8. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said axis intersects the longitudinal axis of said die support means.

9. Extrusion apparatus comprising a frame, means on said frame for supporting a die, a hollow container connected to said die support means for supporting material to be extruded through the die, said container and die support means being supported on said frame for pivotable movement about a transverse horizontal axis adjacent to but spaced from one end of said container, and motor means coupled to said container for selectively pivoting said container and die support means as a unit about said axis relative to the frame to facilitate loading of material into the other end of said container.

10. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said motor means is coupled to said container by an arm fixedly connected to a shaft whose longitudinal axis lies along said transverse axis, each of said shaft and container being connected to said die support means. 

1. Extrusion apparatus comprising a base, a frame pivotably mounted on said base for movement about a transverse horizontal axis from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position, a die supported on said frame for movement therewith, a hollow container for supporting material to be extruded through the die, said container being supported on said frame for pivotable movement with said frame about said axis, means supporting said container for independent pivotable movement about said axis, a first motor means connected to said frame for selectively pivoting said frame and container as a unit about said axis for selective extrusion in a horizontal or vertical direction, and second motor means connected to said container for selectively and independently pivoting said container about said axis relative to said frame to facilitate loading of material into said container.
 2. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second motor means is a power cylinder having one end coupled to said container and its other end pivotably connected to said frame.
 3. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second motor means includes an arm having one end rotatable about said axis and another end pivotably connected to a piston rod associated with said one end of said cylinder.
 4. Extrusion apparaTus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said die support means is connected to one end of said container adjacent said axis for pivotable movement therewith about said axis, the other end of said container being open, a reciprocable ram on said frame, said ram having a position wherein it enters said open end of said container for forcing material through the die and another position wherein said ram is spaced from said open end of said container by a distance sufficient to permit said independent pivoting of the container about said axis.
 5. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first motor means includes a generally horizontally disposed power cylinder having one end pivotably connected to said base below the elevation of said axis and another end pivotably connected to said frame at a location spaced from said axis.
 6. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said axis is defined by aligned shafts rotatably supported by said base, said container having one end coupled to said shafts for rotation therewith.
 7. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said die and container are removably connected together for pivotable movement as a unit about said axis.
 8. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said axis intersects the longitudinal axis of said die support means.
 9. Extrusion apparatus comprising a frame, means on said frame for supporting a die, a hollow container connected to said die support means for supporting material to be extruded through the die, said container and die support means being supported on said frame for pivotable movement about a transverse horizontal axis adjacent to but spaced from one end of said container, and motor means coupled to said container for selectively pivoting said container and die support means as a unit about said axis relative to the frame to facilitate loading of material into the other end of said container.
 10. Extrusion apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said motor means is coupled to said container by an arm fixedly connected to a shaft whose longitudinal axis lies along said transverse axis, each of said shaft and container being connected to said die support means. 